Summer Festivals in Alaska

Alaska State Fair, Palmer

In the land of the midnight sun, we take summer seriously. Most of us have to deal with ice and snow for seven (or more) months of the year, so we’re ready to party when it gets warmer and brighter outside. Here are a few examples of summer festivals in Alaska.

June:

The Sitka Music Festival is in its 54th year! Come to hear chamber and classical music, including Grammy artist Mark O’Connor and the premiere of Henry Dehlinger’s composition To an Alaskan Glacier.  https://www.sitkamusicfestival.org

Anchorage hosts the 3 Barons Renaissance Fair the first two weekends of June every year, featuring sword combat, vendors, and entertainment. https://3barons.org

For theater nuts, go to the Last Frontier Theatre Conference in Valdez for readings, workshops, Valdez Theatre Fringe, and the Monologue Workshop. http://www.theatreconference.org/2023-conference-schedule/

Juneteenth is celebrated around the state, including Anchorage’s health fair, education fair, pageant, parade, and performers. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-juneteenth-anchorage-citywide-celebration-free-to-attend-tickets-927510297267?aff=erellivmlt

June is also Pride Month, and the biggest celebration is in Anchorage, featuring a parade and festival at the Park Strip. https://www.alaskanstogether.org/parade and https://www.facebook.com/events/s/anchorage-pride-festival-2025-/1199439625221984/

(I’ll do a separate post about Summer Solstice.)

July:

Homer is famous for growing peonies, so it’s only natural they should host the Peony Celebration starting in early July. https://www.homeralaska.org/events/homer-peony-celebration/

(I’ll do a separate post about Fourth of July.)

Girdwood’s Forest Fair is a great place to pick up crafts, listen to music, and eat great food. Take the shuttle from Anchorage to avoid parking hassles.. https://girdwoodforestfair.com

Eagle River’s Bear Paw Festival has a parade, vendors, and unique events like the Human Foosball Tournament and the Slippery Salmon Olympics. https://bearpawfestival.org

Fairbanks’ Golden Days celebrates its Gold Rush origins with the biggest parade in Alaska, a rubber duckie race on the Chena River, and a street fair among other events. https://www.fairbankschamber.org/golden-days

Cordova’s Copper River Salmon Jam raises money for arts in their town, including music, Salmon Runs, and of course lots of salmon to eat. https://salmonjam.org

August:

The Blueberry Arts Festival in Ketchikan is going strong in its 50th year, featuring art exhibits, pie eating, fun runs, and something intriguingly called “All things slugs.”  https://www.ketchikanarts.org/programs-events/local-arts-and-culture/ketchikan-area-arts-and-humanities-council/blueberry-arts-festival/annual-blueberry-arts-festival.html

Salmonfest in Ninilchik is a 3-day music festival “centered around fish, love, and music.”  https://salmonfestalaska.org

Ester Fest, near Fairbanks, raises money for their community park with music and concessions.   https://estercommunityassociation.org/ester-fest/

Eat the best Greek food in the state and watch folk dancing at Anchorage’s 30th annual Greek Festival. https://www.akgreekfestival.com

Also, August is State Fair season here. You can choose Fairbanks, Haines, Ninilchik, or Palmer to enjoy fair food, activities, and giant vegetables.

And there are more festivals I didn’t even list. As you can see, summer is the best time to gather together for Alaskan fun, no matter what your interests are.

I hope you have a fabulous summer!